Land Your Dream Job (Hint: It’s doesn’t include job boards)

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Rashida Sigmond, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

So far in your career, you’ve gained great on-the-job experience. You’ve amassed some impressive qualifications. Your confidence is at an all-time high and you’re more than ready to land a dream job at a fabulous company.

So, Why Isn’t Your Hard Work Paying Off?

I’m guessing you’ve spent some quality time updating your resume. And if you’re like most people, you’re hitting Google, Indeed and other popular job boards hard every day before shooting out a bunch of resumes to positions that sound interesting. You’re feeling productive, so why isn’t anything happening? You’re not getting any response, much less a chance to wow someone with influence in an interview. The automated thanks-but-no-thanks messages offer nothing in terms of constructive feedback you can use to improve your resume. On bad days, the repeated rejection begins to eat away at your confidence. Other days, you blame the economy or consider going back to school.

It’s Not You

Here’s the bottom line. There’s a reason why you’re getting nowhere. And it has little to do with you or your desirability as a candidate. The error is in your methods. You’re spending time and energy on the wrong things. Believe it or not, the approach that virtually everybody uses to look for a job doesn’t work, especially if you’re a well-qualified woman looking for management level positions and beyond. Here’s why:

-Resumes sent through Google, Indeed and even direct to company websites go into a tracking system where they sit with hundreds of others waiting for recruiters to notice them.
-It is virtually impossible to stand out among hundreds of resumes that look virtually the same to recruiters who quickly sift through them all day long.
-80% of jobs at your level are never advertised—on job boards or anywhere else!
-Recruiters for the best jobs rarely use job boards…..if at all!

Do This Instead

That’s the bad news. The good news is that there is a way to break the cycle of rejection and get back on track. By turning your formerly passive approach into an active one, you will get results. In other words, stop waiting for companies to post job openings. Take control of your search by flipping the script with this five-step approach:

-Do your research! Identify ideal job titles and companies in your area that you’d like to join. Learn as much as you can about their cultures, hiring practices and corporate philosophies.
-Network and outreach! Connect with key players to learn from people who share the title your seeking and/or work/worked for companies you love. Treat them to a cup of coffee as you respectfully pick their brains! According to LinkedIn, 85% of jobs are filled via networking, so invest some quality time widening your circle.
-Put energy into LinkedIn! This is where hiring managers and recruiters for the most desirable positions go when they are looking for great candidates. Make sure your profile is solid and cultivate connections here through introductions, inquiries and even posts.
-Create a resume that sells you! Think of it as an ad that’s meant to convince decision makers that hiring you is a no-brainer. Be sure it showcases exactly why you are a candidate they simply cannot afford to miss out on.
-Apply like a boss! Don’t passively wait for jobs to be posted on job boards. Actively search for internal jobs using connections and insight you have gained from networking.

Stop allowing job boards to drive your career advancement! Ditch the mindless resume busy work and get strategic by planning, researching, and taking action. This approach to career planning will position you as the go-getter that you are, while developing mutually beneficial relationships with other professionals. Once you break the cycle of job board boredom and rejection, there’s no need to look back. You’ll be on your way to getting hired!